Sunday, January 8, 2012

Stop by Royal Mile tonite...could be your last chance

I'm sitting at the Royal Mile posting from my iPhone to let you know that tonite may be your last to enjoy their scotch, beer, and burgers. I'm hearing from the waitstaff that this could be their last day in business. The menu has been whittled down to a hand-written list but they still have burgers, beer, scotch and half price wine tonite. I'll still be here a while drowning my sorrows so come on down...

20 comments:

  1. Thank you - enjoying my last Guiness at the Mile is something that I would have always regretted if I had missed this.

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  2. I am assuming it was an economic decision? I was wondering if the Limerick was cutting into their business. We have lived in Wheaton for almost 20 years and feel like we are losing one of the true neighborhood hangouts. This is so sad.

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  3. Seth, glad you were able to make it there last night. As sad as it was to be there, I'm glad I ended up going there for dinner so that I could enjoy one last burger and beer. Margret, I would also think that it's closing due to economic reasons. I'm sure that Limerick opening up across the street didn't help things, although other than an initial visit to Limerick when they first opened, I never went back. It's going to be a long time (if ever) before I head to Limerick. I just wouldn't be able to enjoy a beer over there with a shuttered Royal Mile sitting right down the block.

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  4. has it been confirmed? I always thought their lack of a bigger bar was a drawback. didn't they remodel recently?

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  5. Wow, this is the first I am hearing about this. Very sad.

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  6. Anon, from what I gathered last night, this isn't 100% definite (sounds like a very small possibility that something will work out). However, from what the waitstaff were saying and the fact that they were basically using up whatever food they had left, it looked pretty definite to me. I'll walk by today and tomorrow to see if there are any signs of life and posted any updates that I have.

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  7. I much prefer Limerick since it opened - better use of space, i like their quiz too. Royal Mile suffered from is it a bar or a restaurant syndrome. Good food though and good music but needed a better space. Limerick absolutely cut into their business and there is no love lost there either. Certainly wouldnt want Royal Mile to vanish but the recent ownership change is likely what sank it.

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  8. I have been told by ownership, that this is a rumor that went way out of control. Then again, they could be lying to me!

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  9. I would be thrilled if the Royal Mile stays open, but everyone working last night was under the impression that it was probably their last night in business, plus they were out of almost all their food and alot of their beer. It certainly seemed like they were clearing everything out. If it's a money issue, maybe the owner is trying to line up some extra funds. If anyone with the restaurant is reading this, please get in touch and let everyone know what's going on!

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  10. no answer on their phone.

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  11. And website was down when I checked earlier today.

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  12. A sign on the door says the establishment is closed for "plumbing repairs." That's horse hockey. The staff took it upon themselves to shutter the place after going weeks without pay, and finding themselves in no position to replenish the food supply as of this past weekend. The fact is, the staff of the Royal Mile is to be commended and thanked for sacrificing so much for so long out of loyalty to the customers and to the pub's long history. As for the "ownership" describing this as "rumor," that would be total garbage. That so-called ownership has a lot to answer for. There is quite a story to be told here, fellow Wheatonites, and it is an ugly one. This did not have to happen.

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  13. Wow, if that's the case, then are some serious issues with the ownership (makes me glad we left our tip in cash on Sunday night). I agree that the sign about repairs seems fishy - that wouldn't explain what was going on Sunday night both in terms of limited food selection and the visibly upset staff. If any RM employees or even the owner want to get in touch to give their side of the story, my email info is on the main page.

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  14. If I knew what was going on, I'd be more then happy to help out and try to get them going again.

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  15. The owner is 100% to blame for this! It started going downhill as soon as he took over. The staff that has worked there since the switch have suffered tremendously!! They have bent over backwards to try to keep the place going. And what did the owner do in return.... he decides to blame them for the problems and not pay them for months on end, along with a laundry list of other cowardace actions!! That man is a selfish alcoholic who will never take any responsibility for what has occured! Just sad.

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  16. One day perhaps the real story of what happened to The Royal Mile Pub will become public. Look no further than the plumbing repairs sign which has been used to hide a wide variety of other shortcomings in the past.

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  17. So sorry to hear this -- especially since I'm the banjo and bass player in Paddy Goes West and we were supposed to play this Saturday night! We first played there in 2005 (as more of a country-rock band) and have been playing our acoustic Irish-American music just about every month since 2007. We love the place and are grateful for the past and present ownership providing us a home all these years.

    I was there Sunday afternoon to drop off a flyer and have a beer. No one mentioned anything to me about the end being near. I would appreciate it if anyone who knows anything specific would email me at: ken (at) kncreative (dot) com. Thanks. And hope to see you there again.

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  18. This is sad news. The Royal Mile was my very favorite restaurant in Wheaton. Like so many others, I've been going there for years and years.

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  19. The cowardly, drunk "owner" of this great place is to blame. Not paying a staff for over a month, spending most of his time at Limerick pub, drunk. Really? That is what this has come to? Then the super classy decision to send someone else in to prevent the staff from doing anything on Sunday night. I hope that the Royal Mile reopens, the staff is reinstated with back pay, and that alcoholic is black balled from there for life.

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  20. At one time (right after Ian got out of culinary school) it was an amazing restaurant. Before he left, it went downhill. The bar was always too small to make it a hang out spot, so then it had too little of either.
    I used to frequent it 1-2 times a week. For the last few years I've only gone 1-2 year and have always been disappointed. It's sad to see the era end, but good to see it's out of its misery.

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